One Big Bottle: Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout

Editor's Note: So many beers, so little time. One Big Bottle will spotlight the brews we're sipping, one by one.

This special seasonally-produced stout from Schlafly Beer in St. Louis pours a nearly-opaque mahogany with a milk-chocolate-colored head. It's rich with sweet mocha flavor and a slightly nutty roast.

At the core of each sip you'll taste a chocolate-covered cherry; this beer is fruity with a hint of red wine and lots of cocoa flavor.

In the midpalate, there's earth and sassafras, and the finish is smoky roasted coffee. The carbonation is fine and the texture is silky.

At 8% ABV, Schlafly's Export stout holds its liquor pretty well.

We'd pair this beer with walnuts and goat cheese, or burnt ends with baked beans. It would work well with a sausage-topped pizza, too. If you're eating corned beef and cabbage, though, you should probably pair it with something a little more delicate.